2000 Micromachine Asia Mission
During the Micromachine Asia Seminar, we visited
related institutes in each country and exchanged views
with the respective representatives as reported below.
SIRIM Berhad
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date: November 20 (Mon)
Attended by: Dr. Mohd Shazali Hj Othman, Mr. Yahayabin Ahmad, et al.
SIRIM Berhad is a Malaysian government institutefounded in 1975, and has been responsible for the standardization of industrial technologies and R&D activities. In 1996 it was incorporated though owned by theMalaysian government. The institute also offers assistance for technical transfer to small and medium sizedcompanies. The institute also takes great interest inproviding technological assistance to small and medium
sized companies.
We visited a computer training room, machine shop,and show room, where prototypes of automobile battery
chargers, welding robot jigs, and draft machines for batik (cloth) were exhibited. The representatives told usthat the institute was willing to include micromachinetechnology and other state-of-the-art technologies intheir activities on the condition that such technologies
would support businesses.
Gintic Institute of Manufacturing Technology
Location: Singapore
Date: November 24 (Fri), 2000
Attended by: Dr. Wang, et al.
Gintic is an institute on the premise of Nanyong
Technological University in the outskirts of Jurong City
which is about 20 km west from Singapore City. The
research division consists of three sections, Automation
Technology, Manufacturing Technology, and Process
Technology sections. The institute currently has 375 staff
members (70% of them are researchers) and is operated
with a 60 million dollar annual budget for research
projects.
Nanyong Technological University
Location: Singapore

Tour to SIRIM

Date: November 24 (Fri), 2000
Attended by: Dr. Miao Jianmin, et al.
The Micro Machine Laboratory of Nanyong Technological University was established as an attached laboratory to the Mechanical Engineering Department ofNanyong Technological University three years ago. The
laboratory has 12 researchers, 5 research fellows, andabout 20 students. Their 200-m2 clean room is equippedwith the complete set of equipment necessary for MEMS.
Researches related with acceleration sensors, fluid devices, optical devices, TiNi micro grippers, etc. are being
conducted. The achievements of this laboratory will serve
the country greatly from now on.
The National University of Singapore
Date: November 24 (Fri), 2000
Attended by: Prof. Francis E. H. Tay
We visited Dr. Francis E. H. Tay’s MEMS Laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Department of theNational University of Singapore. At the MEMS Lab
we were briefed on their researches on the microgyrousing tunnel phenomena, micropositioner, micropumpwith a bimorph actuator (targeted at insulin medication application), and oscillatory pressure sensor. The
laboratory has obtained a lot of patents for oscillatory
microsensors. For manufacturing sensors, the laboratory uses Cronos’ foundry service.
Economic Development Board
Date: November 24 (Fri), 2000
Attended by: Mr. Wong Peng Wai, et al.
We visited the Economic Development Board (EDB)
and exchanged views and related information with therepresentatives on micromachines and MEMS. EDB isan organization under the Singaporean Ministry ofTrade and Industry.
The meeting session was not only participated in by
EDB staff but also a lot of people from universities, research institutes, and companies related with this technology. They explained the state-of-the-art technology
development in Singapore and the commercializationplans of new technologies including micromachines/
MEMS were discussed.

Tour to GINTIC

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